HOUSING FOR ELECTRONIC BALLAST

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This invention relates to electronic assemblies and more particularly to the simplification of such assemblies. Still more particularly, the invention relates to electronic ballasts for discharge lamps, such ballasts having improved heat dissipation, reduced component count, minimized mechanical stress on the electrical components and improved electro-magnetic interference (EMI) suppression.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] United States Patent Laid-open Publication No. US 5,418,685 discloses an electronic assembly as defined in the preamble of claim 1.

[0003] Further, electronic ballasts for discharge lamps are well known as efficient replacements for the older type of magnetic ballasts. As the trend toward miniaturization increases, additional problems arise in the control of heat dissipation, electrical isolation, mechanical stresses in locating printed circuit boards, and reducing EMI, which can affect other electric or electronic apparatus operating in the vicinity.

[0004] Accordingly, it would be an advance in the art if the problems with the prior devices could be reduced or eliminated.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

[0005] It is, therefore, an object of the invention to obviate the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0006] It is another object of the invention to enhance the operation of electronic assemblies.

[0007] It is another object of the invention to enhance the operation of electronic ballasts for discharge lamps.

[0008] Yet another object of the invention is the reduction of mechanical stresses in such devices.

[0009] Still another object of the invention is the reduction of EMI emanating from such devices.

[0010] These objects are accomplished, in one aspect of the invention, by the provision of an electronic assembly having the features as specified in claim 1.

[0011] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are subject to the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] 

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a first half of a housing for an electronic assembly;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a second half of a housing for an electronic assembly;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the first half of the housing of Fig. 1 in an inverted position and having a printed circuit board installed;

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the second half of the housing of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0013] For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further objects, advantages and capabilities thereof, reference is made to the following disclosure and appended claims taken in conjunction with the above-described drawings.

[0014] Referring now to the drawings with greater particularity, there is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 an electronic assembly that comprises a housing having a first half 10 and a second half 12. The first half 10 and the second half 12 are substantially quadrangular in configuration and each includes concave portions 14, 16, respectively. A peripheral groove 18 is formed in the second half 12 and has an O-ring 20 positioned therein.

[0015] A depending peripheral flange 22 is formed on the first half 10 for engaging the O-ring 20 when the halves are mated, as best seen in Figs. 5 and 6.

[0016] At least one first upstanding wall 24 is formed in the first half 10 and at least one second upstanding wall 26 is formed in the second half 12, the walls being in opposition to one another and defining a space therebetween. In Fig. 5 two such walls 24 and 26 are shown.

[0017] A printed circuit board 28 is positioned between the walls 24 in the first half and the walls 26 in the second half. The printed circuit board has first and second surfaces 30, 32, with the usual compliment of electrically conductive traces formed thereon.

[0018] Additionally, a first peripheral electrical conductor 34 is formed on the first surface 30 and a second peripheral electrical conductor 36 is formed on the second surface 32. The peripheral electrical conductors are in contact with the first upstanding wall 24 and the second upstanding wall 26. At least one electrical conductor 38 (preferably more than one) extends through the printed circuit board 28 and is in electrical contact with the peripheral electrical conductors 34, 36 formed on the first and second surfaces 30, 32.

[0019] A plurality of retainers 40, which can be externally threaded bolts, pass through the first half and into the second half, applying pressure to the printed circuit board for maintaining the printed circuit board in its desired location, thereby eliminating the need for separate screws or other holding devices to hold the printed circuit board in position and greatly reducing mechanical stresses on the board and the components carried thereon. Electromagnetic interference is suppressed by virtue of the contact between the peripheral electrical conductors 34,36 and the first and second halves 10, 12.

[0020] The printed circuit board 28 includes at least one heat-generating component 42, (see Fig. 6) and the heat-generating component 42 has thermal transferring media 44, 46 placed between the component 42 and the printed circuit board. The heat-generating component can be a power conditioning, semiconductor such as a MOSFET, for example and the thermal transferring media can be a deformable thermal putty.

[0021] The printed circuit board 28 additionally includes electrical components 48, 50 and these electrical components are isolated from the first and second housing halves by air gaps 52, 54, as shown in Fig. 5.

[0022] In addition to the electrical components designated above, it also is usual for the printed circuit board 28 to contain a ferrite component 56 which may comprises two halves 58, 60, the halves 58, 60 being joined together by a spring clip 62 that includes at least two leaf springs 64 in contact with a surface of one of said first housing half or said second housing half. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5 the spring clips 64 engage a surface 66 in the second half 12.

[0023] Thus there is provided an electronic assembly having reduced mechanical stress in an included printed circuit board, good heat and electrical isolation where necessary and superior EMI suppression, the latter stemming from the portion of a Faraday cage created when the two perimeter conductors 34, 36 and the copper connector 38 that extends between them are contacted by the first half 10 and the second half 12.

[0024] While there have been shown and described what are present considered to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An electronic assembly comprising:

a housing having a first half (10) and a second half (12), said first half (10) and said second half (12) being substantially quadrangular in configuration and including concave portions (14,16):

a peripheral groove (18) formed in said second half (12);

an O-ring (20) positioned in said groove (18);

a depending peripheral flange (22) formed on said first half (10) for engaging said O-ring (20) when said halves (10, 12) are mated;

at least one first upstanding wall (24) formed in said first half (10) and at least one second upstanding wall (26) formed in said second half (12), said walls (24, 26) being in opposition to one another and defining a space therebetween;

a printed circuit board (28) positioned between said wall (24) in said first half (10) and said wall (26) in said second half (12), said printed circuit board (28) having first and second surfaces (30, 32);

a peripheral electrical conductor (34, 36) formed on each of said first and second surfaces (30, 32) and in contact with said first upstanding wall (24) and said second upstanding wall (26);

at least one electrical conductor (38) extending through said printed circuit board (28) and in electrical contact with said peripheral electrical conductors (34, 36) formed on said first and second surfaces (30, 32); and a plurality of retainers (40) passing through said first half (10) and into said second half (12), whereby pressure is applied to said printed circuit board (28) for maintaining said printed circuit board in its desired location and electromagnetic interference is suppressed by virtue of the contact between said peripheral electrical conductors (34, 36) and said first and second halves (10, 12),

characterized in

that said printed circuit board (28) contains a ferrite component (56) comprising two halves (58, 60), said halves (58, 60) being joined together by a spring clip (62) that includes at least two leaf springs (64) in contact with a surface of one of said first housing half (10) or said second housing half (12).

2. The electronic assembly of Claim 1, wherein said printed circuit board (28) includes at least one heat generating component (42), said heat generating component (42) having a deformable thermal transferring media (44, 46) placed intimately coupling the component (42) and the enclosure.

3. The electronic assembly of Claim 1, wherein said printed circuit board (28) includes electrical components (48, 50) and said electrical components are isolated from said first and second housing halves (10,12) by air gaps (52, 54).

Ansprüche

1. Elektronikbaugruppe, umfassend:

ein Gehäuse mit einer ersten Hälfte (10) und einer zweiten Hälfte (12), wobei die erste Hälfte (10) und die zweite Hälfte (12) eine im wesentlichen viereckige Konfiguration aufweist und konkave Abschnitte (14, 16) enthält;

eine in der zweiten Hälfte (12) ausgebildete periphere Nut (18) ;

einen in der Nut (18) positionierten O-Ring (20);

einen an der ersten Hälfte (10) ausgebildeten, herabhängenden peripheren Flansch (22), um den O-Ring (20) in Eingriff zu nehmen, wenn die beiden Hälften (10, 12) gekoppelt werden;

mindestens eine in der ersten Hälfte (10) ausgebildete erste hochstehende Wand (24) und mindestens eine in der zweiten Hälfte (12) ausgebildete zweite hochstehende Wand (26), wobei die Wände (24, 26) einander gegenüberstehen und dazwischen einen Raum definieren;

eine zwischen der Wand (24) in der ersten Hälfte (10) und der zweiten Wand (26) in der zweiten Hälfte (12) positionierte gedruckte Leiterplatte (28), wobei die gedruckte Leiterplatte (28) eine erste und zweite Oberfläche (30, 32) aufweist;

einen peripheren elektrischen Leiter (34, 36), der auf jeder der ersten und zweiten Oberfläche (30, 32) ausgebildet ist und mit der ersten hochstehenden Wand (24) und der zweiten hochstehenden Wand (26) in Kontakt steht;

mindestens einen elektrischen Leiter (38), der sich durch die gedruckte Leiterplatte (28) erstreckt und mit den auf der ersten und zweiten Oberfläche (30, 32) ausgebildeten peripheren elektrischen Leitern (34, 36) in elektrischem Kontakt steht; und mehrere Halterungen (40), die durch die erste Hälfte (10) und in die zweite Hälfte (12) verlaufen, wodurch Druck auf die gedruckte Leiterplatte (28) ausgeübt wird, um die gedruckte Leiterplatte an ihrer gewünschten Stelle zu erhalten, und

elektromagnetische Störungen aufgrund des Kontakts zwischen den peripheren elektrischen Leitern (34, 36) und der ersten und zweiten Hälfte (10, 12) unterdrückt werden,

dadurch gekennzeichnet,

daß die gedruckte Leiterplatte (28) eine Ferritkomponente (56) enthält, die zwei Hälften (58, 60) umfaßt, wobei die Hälften (58, 60) durch einen Federclip (62) miteinander verbunden sind, der mindestens zwei Blattfedern (64) enthält, die mit einer Oberfläche einer der ersten Gehäusehälfte (10) und der zweiten Gehäusehälfte (12) in Kontakt stehen.

2. Elektronikbaugruppe nach Anspruch 1, wobei die gedruckte Leiterplatte (28) mindestens eine wärmeerzeugende Komponente (42) enthält, wobei die wärmeerzeugende Komponente (42) ein verformbares wärmeübertragendes Medium (44, 46) aufweist, das so plaziert ist, daß es die Komponenten (42) und die Hülle eng koppelt.

3. Elektronikbaugruppe nach Anspruch 1, wobei die gedruckte Leiterplatte (28) elektrische Komponenten (48, 50) enthält und die elektrischen Komponenten durch Luftspalte (52, 54) von der ersten und zweiten Gehäusehälfte (10, 12) isoliert sind.

Revendications

1. Ensemble électronique comprenant :

un compartiment ayant une première moitié ( 10 ) et une deuxième moitié ( 12 ), la première moitié ( 10 ) et la deuxième moitié ( 12 ) étant sensiblement parallélépipédiques de configuration et comprenant des parties ( 14, 16 ) concaves ;

une rainure ( 18 ) périphérique formée dans la deuxième moitié ( 12 ) ;

un joint ( 20 ) torique placé dans la rainure ( 18 ) ;

une bride ( 22 ) périphérique pendante, formée sur la première moitié ( 10 ) pour coopérer avec le joint ( 20 ) torique lorsque les moitiés ( 10, 12 ) sont appariées ;

au moins une première paroi ( 24 ) montante formée dans la première moitié ( 10 ) et au moins une deuxième paroi ( 26 ) montante formée dans la deuxième moitié ( 12 ), les parois ( 24, 26 ) étant en opposition l'une à l'autre et définissant un espace entre elles ;

une plaquette ( 28 ) à circuit imprimé placée entre la paroi ( 24 ) dans la première moitié ( 10 ) et la paroi ( 26 ) dans la deuxième moitié ( 12 ), la plaquette ( 28 ) à circuit imprimé ayant des première et deuxième surfaces ( 30, 32 ) ;

un conducteur ( 34, 36 ) électrique périphérique formé sur chacune des première et deuxième surfaces ( 30, 32 ) et en contact avec la première paroi ( 24 ) montante et la deuxième paroi ( 26 ) montante ;

au moins un conducteur ( 38 ) électrique traversant la plaquette ( 28 ) à circuit imprimé et en contact électrique avec des conducteurs ( 34, 36 ) électriques périphériques formés sur la première et la deuxième surfaces ( 30, 32 ) ; et une pluralité d'arrêtoirs ( 40 ) passant dans la première moitié ( 10 ) et allant dans la deuxième moitié ( 12 ), une pression étant appliquée à la plaquette ( 28 ) à circuit imprimé pour maintenir la plaquette à circuit imprimé dans son emplacement souhaité et une interférence électromagnétique étant supprimée en raison du contact entre les conducteurs ( 34, 36 ) périphériques et les première et deuxième moitiés ( 10, 12 ),

caractérisé en

ce que la plaquette ( 28 ) à circuit imprimé contient un composant ( 56 ) de ferrite comprenant deux moitiés ( 58, 60 ), les moitiés ( 58, 60 ) étant réunies en une agrafe ( 62 ) élastique, qui comprend au moins deux ressorts ( 64 ) à lame en contact avec une surface de l'une de la première moitié ( 10 ) de compartiment ou de la deuxième moitié ( 12 ) de compartiment.

2. Ensemble électronique suivant la revendication 1, dans lequel la plaquette ( 28 ) à circuit imprimé comprend au moins un composant ( 42 ) produisant de la chaleur, le composant ( 42 ) produisant de la chaleur ayant des agents ( 44, 46 ) déformables de transfert thermique placés en couplant de manière intime le composant ( 4 ) et l'enceinte.

3. Ensemble électronique suivant la revendication 1, dans lequel la plaquette ( 28 ) à circuit imprimé comprend des composants ( 48, 50 ) électriques et les composants électriques sont isolés des première et deuxième moitiés ( 10, 12 ) de compartiment par des intervalles ( 52, 54 ) d'air.

Drawing